This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 29 August 2017 to 21 September 2017. Letters 29 August 2017 – Letter of the Holy Father to the participants in the General Assembly of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the centenary of the death of Saint […]

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 28 August 2017 to 14 September 2017. Angelus 3 September 2017 10 September 2017 – Apostolic Journey to Colombia: Angelus, 10 September 2017, Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) Homilies 7 September 2017 – Apostolic Journey to Colombia: Holy Mass (Simón Bolívar Park, […]

In recent years both Catholics and Protestants have been puzzled by occasional mentions in the press that the two groups would be jointly commemorating of the upcoming five hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. What on earth? Why would Catholics commemorate such an event? Let’s talk about that. “And So, It Begins . . […]

About Reasonable Belief

Let me make one thing clear from the start: my purpose in writing about Catholicism is not to sway or convert anyone to embrace the Catholic Church. I don’t expect that, after reading what I have to say, the reader will immediately leap up and enroll in the RCIA program at their neighborhood parish. Rather, my hope is that my simplistic approach will help someone to realize that there legitimate reasons behind Catholic beliefs and that maybe, just maybe, they will be inspired to dig a little deeper and learn a little more.

On the Shoulders of Giants

There is a great deal of work that has been done in Catholic apologetics towards the end of inspiring conversions, defending the faith from errant and error-filled attacks from mainline and fundamentalist Protestants, and in bolstering the faith and knowledge of those already within the church. All of this work has been done by men and women, priests, monks and bishops, and probably even a few monkeys and dolphins, who are far more knowledgeable and articulate than am I.

Reading With an Open Heart

I certainly hope that someone who studies and reads with a truly objective, open heart and mind will come to realize that Catholic teaching and practices have a far more reasonable and biblical basis than what so many non-Catholic christians think. To that end, I ask that if you do continue reading, you do so with an honest and discerning spirit. As much as possible, please leave behind any pro or anti Catholic bias you may harbor and allow the facts to reveal themselves to you so that you are able to make a truly well informed and honest decision about where you go from here.

Getting Comfy With Catholicism

I also hope that in some small way, this work can reinforce church teachings and practices for the soon-to-be, or the thinking-about-being, or the thinking-about-returning-to, Catholic. The fact is that the conversion process can often be a long and confusing one, wrought with pitfalls, uncertainty and yes, even pain.

Conversion Conundrums

I believe that, all too often, we as Catholics neglect to realize or fully appreciate the difficulty that a Catholic convert faces every day, throughout his or her walk towards Rome. My hope is to affirm the thinking that lead the potential convert toward Catholicism to begin with, as well as alleviate, as much as possible, the fear, uncertainty and general uneasiness that often accompanies someone who has decided to become a whore of Babylon-loving, idol-worshipping Romish papist.

Light Heart, Lighter Soul

Along the way, I hope you’ll laugh, both at me and yourself. I’ll try to keep the language as plain and light as I can, as the subject matter is heavy enough. As fond an appreciation as I have for multisyllabic words, more likely than not, by the time you stumbled upon my writing, you’ve probably read enough scholarly material and theses to last you a lifetime.

If I can give you one gift, then, let it be a more lighthearted, though no less heartfelt, apologetic to help you feel not just okay but totally awesome and convicted about the decision to learn about Catholicism.